This invention relates to syringe pumps.
Syringe pumps are used to supply medication to a patient. A syringe is pre-filled with the medication and this is connected to an infusion line extending to the patient. The syringe is then loaded in the syringe pump, which applies a force to the plunger of the syringe to drive medication into the infusion line at a controlled rate. If the syringe is not correctly loaded in the pump, this could lead to jamming of the pump mechanism and to delays in administering fluid to the patient.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative syringe pump.
According to the present invention there is provided a syringe pump adapted to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel with a nose outlet at its forward end and a rear end, the pump including a movable member movable in a first direction towards engagement with a portion at the rear end of the barrel, and means for sensing the position of the movable member to detect whether or not the syringe is correctly positioned in the pump.
The portion at the rear end of the barrel are preferably radially-projecting ears, one side of which may engage a wall on the pump, the movable member engaging the opposite side of the ears. The movable member preferably includes an arm pivoted at one end and having an articulated joint at a location along its length. The means for sensing may include a lever arranged to be pivoted by movement of the arm. The movable member preferably has a pad with a forward face and a V shape edge surface, the forward face engaging the portion at the rear end of the barrel and the V shape edge surface lying against the plunger. The pump may include means moving the movable member in a direction opposite the first direction prior to loading the syringe. The means moving the movable member in the opposite direction may be coupled to a syringe drive mechanism of the pump. The pump may include resilient means arranged to move the movable member in the first direction. The means for sensing preferably includes optical means.